16

Unsung Discoveries

The Helix soared through the clear skies carrying the three mutants through the sunny weather which was quite the opposite of that inside the impressive craft.

Sighing in conjunction with her twitching head, Lexa huffed. "Something about that clone just doesn't sit well with me."

"Drop it, Lexa," came Jesse's order from his seat ahead of her. The last thing he wanted was to let her drag him into another debate and for that matter he also wasn't in much of a mood to hear her putting down his friend, or new friend, whatever the proper term for her was.

"So what are we gonna do about this?" she asked.

"Well, we're just going to see how they operate. Find out what we're dealing with."

"I was talking about that clone," she reminded, unable to ignore how the mention of the word brought a twitch to the young blonde's body. That combined with the emotion he could never hide from his face told the obvious story he was upset at her topic of choice.

"She's our friend. Can you at least pretend like you care?"

"I do care. I care about all of us. I care about our life, Sanctuary. Do you really want a repeat of last year? Think of everything we've done, we've been through, Jesse. Do you really wanna let your emotions put everything we've worked so hard to get back right back into jeopardy?"

Jesse remained silent trying to ignore the fact she was making some valid points. He glanced to Brennan, already knowing he was on somewhat of the same page as Lexa though he'd hardly admit it aloud. And even Jesse himself had to admit he wanted more information regarding the new psionic but right now he would much rather concentrate on the mission at hand.

"Besides, I think there's something up between her and Shalimar," Lexa took it upon herself to resume the conversation when the silence of both men was unbroken. "She's way too over protective of her."

"Shalimar's like that with all of us," Jesse reassured trying to remind her of the fact he assumed she already knew anyway.

Lexa shook her head digging deeper into the conclusion she hardly saw herself hardly leaping to. "No, it's more than that."

Brennan looked up suddenly as the thought ran through his head. Not merely because it was about Shalimar although that was usually more than enough reason for him.

"Wait a minute, you think Emma's affecting her somehow?" he questioned as he began to draw his own conclusions and questions in the absence for any such concrete ones.

"That's my point," she replied, hoping to push it further into their heads. "Who knows?"

Jesse turned his back slightly to his fellow mutants, an action Lexa couldn't ignore as it immediately informed her he was hiding something from her, or even all of them for that matter, making his stance on the whole issue all that more questionable and interesting to her.

Jesse remained silent hoping the topic would taper off as he hardly thought Shalimar's feelings for Emma was of any business of Lexa or Brennan and certainly wouldn't help situations back at Sanctuary.

Lexa's eyes shifted towards him momentarily but her better judgment prompted her not to take it any further. She didn't enjoy arguing with him anymore than he did but something inside her always felt draw to a challenge, whatever it may be, and with whoever it may concern as it didn't seem to discriminate when it came to cases like that. Despite the fast she had decided to let the issue go for now she was sure this was hardly the last time it would be brought up as it was only continuing to weigh on her thoughts more and more. Not only did the fact the clone was unknown to them bother her but something about the way she seemed to be affection Jesse was bothering her as well and much more than she'd like for that matter.

"All I wanna know is what these mutant gangs are up to," Jesse informed changing the subject as he began to land the aircraft.

Silently, the three mutants departed from the craft and began to make their way down the alley. What was it about mutant gangs and alleys anyway? The fact this was a much more secluded area of town probably helped in their dealings as well and just the smell of slime in the air was hint enough that they were nearby.

Before any of them even realized it, they found themselves surrounded and cornered in the shadowed alley and quite outnumbered by at least ten men, not that they would let that slow them down, however.

Electricity flew through the air from the opened palm of the dark elemental bringing down the two men in its path with ease. Beside him, a few punches followed by a full body mass was enough to stop the men in the molecular's path.

Farther down the alley, Lexa dodged the fireballs thrown at her by the man and woman approaching and allowed her agile body to come into full play, jumping atop the garbage can to brace herself between it and the wall of the nearby building to gain ample ground for a drop kick to the neck of each of her foes with speed neither could have anticipated.

Picking up the fallen object of one of the men, Jesse slipped it into his coat, turning his head up as a call of warning from Brennan got his attention from behind and he rolled himself out of the line of fire just as the sparks flew at the chests of the remaining men, dropping them like stones.

Whipping his head around, the molecular shot an appreciative glance at the elemental before standing to his feet and dusting himself off, joining Brennan at his side as the two headed over to Lexa.

"I guess some thugs never learn," she informed, flipping her hair over her neck which hardly had broken a sweat in all the action.

"Lexa!" Jesse cried, unfortunalty, not soon enough as the woman was tackled from the rooftop by a rather large and angered man.

Afraid to attempt a clear shot and acting out of better instinct, Brennan rushed the small distance across the alley alongside Jesse.

Quickly grabbing the man off the woman, Jesse knocked out the attacker with one punch of his massed arm, dropping him instantly. Reaching down, he began to help the injured woman up; surprised the man was able to get the jump on her like that as usually she was quite a formidable foe herself.

Grasping her now throbbing head, Lexa stood to her feet, dizzied and sore as the man had most likely pulled something in her neck and back and it was quite uncomfortable.

"You ok?" Jesse asked in concern continuing to help her regain her misplaced balance.

"Yeah…" she answered slowly. "I'll be fine."

"Come on, we better get you home," he informed, knowing it best not to continue on in her condition and reminding himself he had a new gadget to inspect.